Social Policy PhD/MPhil

All our research degrees involve appropriate postgraduate research training modules, which are agreed with the supervisor and the Institute Research Student Coordinator, and which are assessed. In addition, we hold regular research student workshops and seminars and doctoral researchers participate in research group activities within the School of Social Policy.

Details

All our research degrees involve appropriate postgraduate research training modules, which are agreed with the supervisor and the Institute Research Student Coordinator, and which are assessed. In addition, we hold regular research student workshops and seminars and doctoral researchers participate in research group activities within the School of Social Policy.

The MPhil requires a thesis of 60,000 words, while the PhD thesis is 80,000 words in length.

Our academic staff have wide research interests and these are detailed below. Joint supervision is generally advised, and we can provide this with other departments.

Fees and funding

Scholarships and studentships Scholarships and bursaries may be available. International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government. More information about scholarships.

For further information contact the School directly or contact the Student Funding Office via the online enquiries system at www.studenthelp.bham.ac.uk.

Entry requirements

How to apply

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

Islamaphobia: the role and function of faith and faith communities in public and political spaces; minority community issues; equalities legislation, policy and practice; citizenship, multiculturalism, integration and community cohesion. Contact: Dr Chris Allen
Tel: +44(0)121 414 7203
Email: c.allen.2@bham.ac.uk

Black service users' views of mental health services; re-ablement and community services for older people; mental health legislation; the contribution of social theory to the understanding of mental stress; risk assessment in mental health; the role of masculinity in shaping men's experience of mental distress and our responses to it; service user participation; evaluation of health and social care responses to mental health and old age. Contact: Ric Bowl
Tel: +44(0)121 414 6688
Email: r.e.e.bowl@bham.ac.uk

Individual and family experiences of impairment and disability; individual and family experiences of health and social care; care and welfare attitudes in relation to the balance between state, family and individual responsibility.
Contact: Dr Harriet Clarke
Tel: +44(0)121 415 8479
Email: h.clarke@bham.ac.uk

Public understandings of social policy; the politics of representation in social policy.
Contact: Dr Stuart Connor
Tel: +44(0)121 414 8031
Email: s.a.connor@bham.ac.uk

Governance, management and regulation of housing associations; role of the non-profit sector in public policy; homelessness and access to social housing; new migration, equality and diversity. Contact: Professor David Mullins
Tel: +44(0)121 414 3348
Email: d.mullins@bham.ac.uk

The welfare state in Britain since 1945; the Labour Party and the welfare state; the Conservative Party and the welfare state; the history of British social policy; social democratic social policy; the Swedish welfare state. Contact: Dr Robert Page, FRSA
Tel: +44(0)121 414 8066
Email: r.m.page@bham.ac.uk

New migrants and access to education, training, employment and housing; integration, social inclusion and social cohesion and new migrant communities; developing innovative researchmethodologies to facilitate inclusion of excluded groups; community research methodology.
Contact: Dr Jenny Phillimore
Tel: +44(0)121 414 7822
Email: j.a.phillimore@bham.ac.uk

Social work with older people; community care policy and practice; adult service users' experiences of social work and social care services; enhancing service users' quality of life and mental well-being; service user involvement. Contact: Dr Denise Tanner
Tel: +44(0)121 414 2941
Email: d.l.tanner@bham.ac.uk

Mental health, recovery and social inclusion; whole family approaches; wellbeing and resilience; personalisation and self-directed support; identity issues; social theory and social models of mental distress; service user and carer participation; social work and interdisciplinary working.
Contact: Dr Jerry Tew
Tel: +44(0)121 414 3640
Email: j.j.c.tew@bham.ac.uk

The sociological analysis of professional judgement and decision making; the analysis of professional talk; policy development and the reform of social work; socio-tehnical systems design. Contact: Professor Sue White
Tel: +44(0)121 414 5714
Email: s.white.3@bham.ac.uk

Employability

If I gain a postgraduate research degree in this area, what are my career prospects?

The University of Birmingham has recently been ranked 9th in the UK, and 55th in the world, for post-qualification employability in a global survey of universities commissioned by the International Herald Tribune.

Over the last five years 98.6% of postgraduates from the School of Social Policy have been in work and/or will develop analytical skills and the ability to gather, assess and interpret data, all of which require clear and logical thinking.

Birmingham's School of Social Policy postgraduates enter a wide range of occupational sectors: the majority in the public sector in areas such as youth work but others including events, sales, administration and education. Graduates also opt to continue in academia.

What type of career assistance is available to doctoral researchers in this department?

The College of Social Sciences, to which the School of Social Policy belongs, has specially designated careers advisors and careers consultants who can provide guidance for doctoral researchers on career paths, CVs, training opportunities, application and interviews. The University’s central Careers’ Service also runs workshops and offers personally tailored advice and guidance including 1-1 careers advice, 1-1 CV advice. The Career’s Service also runs CV writing workshops especially for postgraduates in the College of Social Sciences, giving advice on how to compile CVs for both employment and for academic roles.

The University also has dedicated careers advisors for International students who run workshops and networking opportunities with potential employers. These are especially popular with International postgraduate researchers.